Gardening Articles: Care :: Pests & Problems

Reduce Dandelions in Lawns with Leaf Mulch

by Charlie Nardozzi

Dandelions are the scourge of many gardeners. Other than using harmful herbicides, the only sure fire way to eliminate them from lawns is to hand weed. However, recent research at Michigan State University suggests that leaf mulch may reduce the number of dandelions in your lawn.

Researchers applied chopped up leaves (leaf mulch) from a variety of trees such as red, silver, and sugar maple and red oak at different application rates (1 to 3 pounds per square yard) on a Kentucky bluegrass lawn with a high number of dandelions. Applications were in fall and spring. The summer following the applications, researchers found a 53 to 80 percent reduction in the number of dandelions. They also observed that the higher the dosage of leaf mulch, the greener the lawn.